New Jersey Devils winger Ilya Kovalchuk on Thursday retired from the NHL. The 30-year-old Russian walked away from the remaining 12 years and $77 million on his contract, ESPN reports.
The Devils announced Kovalchuk's retirement, and general manager Lou Lamoriello explained the Russian's decision during a conference call with media (via ESPN).
"This goes back to the lockout, and prior to coming back, his thought process of staying in Russia was there," Lamoriello said. "As you know, he was here a little late [getting back after the lockout lifted]. Then there was no conversation whatsoever throughout the year about it.
"Then it resurfaced and his desire was to retire from the NHL, and the only way he could do that was to sign his voluntary retirement papers, which he did."
ESPN reports Kovalchuk will play next season in Russia's Kontinental Hockey League for SKA St. Petersburg.
Kovalchuk released a statement through the team and echoed Lamoriello's narrative.
"This decision was something I have thought about for a long time going back to the lockout and spending the year in Russia," Kovalchuk said in the statement. "Though I decided to return this past season, Lou was aware of my desire to go back home and have my family there with me.
"The most difficult thing for me is to leave the New Jersey Devils, a great organization that I have a lot of respect for, and our fans that have been great to me."
Besides losing a star player, Kovalchuk's retirement hurts the Devils in at least two other ways. One, the team will have to pay around $300,000 in a cap restructure penalty until 2024-25, when the contract was set to expire.
"That is because the cap advantage on Kovalchuk's contract was approximately $4 million over the first three seasons of his 15-year, $100 million deal, which was signed in 2010," Mike Mazzeo of ESPN wrote.
Two, had the timing of the Russian's announcement been earlier, the Devils could've had the opportunity to chase a top player when free agency began.
Kovalchuk recorded 417 goals and 816 points in his 816 games in the NHL. He was the 2001 No. 1 overall pick by the Atlanta Thrashers; the Devils acquired him in February 2010.
